Five Republican women in the state Senate wrote a letter to state Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday calling for an independent investigation into claims of alleged sexual harassment against Gov. Andrew Cuomo by a former aide. 

On Wednesday, Lindsey Boylan, who worked in the Cuomo administration and is a Manhattan borough president candidate, released a blog post accusing the governor of forcibly kissing her and making unwanted advances while working in his administration. Cuomo has denied the allegations, and his office released a joint statement from several former aides specifically denying an incient took place they would have been present for at the time, according to records.

The letter that was written by the five female Republican state senators criticized the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, since it has numerous Cuomo appointees, and asked for a special prosecutor to conduct the investigation. 

The letter states: “In a publicly released blog post issued by the alleged victim on February 24, the former employee asserted, ‘Andrew Cuomo abused his power as governor to sexually harass me done with so many other women.’ 

She goes on to assert that confidential personnel information was "'eaked to the media in an effort to smear me,' and that 'the governor's loyalists called around town asking about me.’

In addition to investigating the alleged actions and behavior of the governor toward female staff members, this investigation should also include a review of the alleged actions taken by Executive Chamber staff members and "loyalists" to try and intimidate the alleged victim and other women into remaining silent.”

The letter was signed by Senator Sue Serino, Senator Patty Ritchie, Senator Pamela Helming, Senator Daphne Jordan and Senator Alexis Weik. 

Several Democratic lawmakers have also called for an independent investigation outside the scope of JCOPE into these alleged incidents of sexual harassment.